Worm and gear power



June 3 1924.

J. REID WORM AND GEAR POWER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 20. 1923 anvewboz 1M1 232M June a 1924.

J. REID AND GEAR POWER worm Filed Sept. 20 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I W A42 June 3 1924.

J. REID WORM AND GEAR POWER Filed Sept. 20. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 8 mum 1,1300

Patented June 3, 1924.

U! STATES JOHN REID, OF OIL CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

WORM AND GEAR POWER.

Application filed September 20, 1923. Serial No. 663,889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN R ID, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oil City, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in form and Gear Powers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to powers and more particularly to pumping powers, adapted particularly for use in oilfields and the like.

Devices of this character are employedfor developing, froma single source of power, reciprocating movements in a plurality of connections extending in different radial directions outwardly to, for instance, a corresponding number of pumps or other work.

The power is derived from eccentrics adapted to be rotated, eccentric rings being mounted on these eccentrics to which the power transmitting rods are connected.

While it has heretofore been customary to employ a relatively large band wheel for rotating the eccentrics, still many objections have been made to such an arrangement, owing to the unwieldiness of the structure and the difliculty experienced in properly mounting the power, in housing the same, and in maintaining it in proper working condition. 7

It is, therefore, the primary objectof this invention to provide a power of this general character having improved means for r0- tating the eccentrics wherein a power having a working capacity equal to the heretofore known band wheel powers may be provided which will be relatively compact, thus efficient operation of the device.

enabling the same to be easily mounted and housed. Another object of this invention is to provide a power of this character which will be relatively self-contained, thus enabling the same to be conveniently mounted in any angular position, if the topography of the territory makes this the simplest operation, without interfering in any manner with the This advantage offers the possibility of reducing to a minimum the cost oflabor and material necessary for setting up the power. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a power so constructed as torenable worn or broken parts thereof to be easily replaced and furthermore providing means whereby elfic1ent lubrication of the working parts may be had at all times without requiring the constant attention of an atsidered with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a power constructed in accordance with my invention; F ig; 2 is a plan view of thepower, certain parts being broken away to show the interior construction; e

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, end, elevational view of a portion of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2; and

v Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the power.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts, it will be noted that there is preferably provided a base plate 10 forming a main support for the device, which base is preferably mounted a suitable foundation 11, usually formed of'cement by means of tie bolts projecting upwardly therefrom. Extending upwardly from the base'll is a shaft 12, this shaft being rigidly fixed to the base 11 and forming the center about which the rotating'parts of the power revolve. In practice brace tie rods are connected to the upper free end of the shaft 12 and anchored to suitable supports arranged radially thereof for maintaining the shaft 12 rigidly in an upright position.

Mounted to rotate upon the shaft 12 are a plurality of eccentrics 13 and a hub 14: of the power transmitting element yet to be described. The hub 14 and the eccentrics 13 are preferably interlocked by locking devices 15 so as to rotate simultaneously around the shaft 12, these interlocking means .being preferably although not necessarily constructed in accordance with the locking means illustrated and described in my copending application, Serial No. 651,411, filed July 13, 1923. In practice it is customary to mount upon the eccentrics 13: eccentric rings 16, provided with a plurality of peripheral apertures '17, by means of which connectionis made -With a plurality of power transmitting rods (not shown) for operating the pumps or other work. The eccentric rings 16 are non-rotatably mounted upon the eccentrics so that upon a rotation of the eccentrics a reciprocating motion is transmitted to the eccentric rings and consequently to, the power transmitting rods connected thereto.

Mounted to rotate about the shaft 12 is a Worm wheel 18, this worm wheel being rigidly fixed to the hub 14, to rotate therewith, preferably by means of bolts 19, which in practice extend entirely through the structure, thus additionally tying together the hub let and the eccentrics 13. The worm wheel 18 is preferablv enclosed by a housing 20, which in practice will be open at the top, this opening being closed by a cover 21 suitably secured in place so that access to the interior of the housing 20 might be easily obtained. In connection with the worm wheel 18 is a worm 22 rigidly mounted on a shaft 23 extending in a horizontal direction adjacent the upper portion of the power. The casing 20 forms a bearing for the shaft 23, a sleeve 24 forming a bushing for the shaft, which sleeve is recessed to re ceive packing glands 25.

Arranged preferably parallel with the shaft 23 is a reinforcing and supporting member 26, this member being here shown as an I-beam. This supporting member 26 is connectedat one end to the casing 20 and at the other end to the bearing-supporting member 27, the bearin 28 for the shaft 23 being mounted upon this member 27. The bearing-supporting member 27 is mounted upon a suitable support 29, which may be positioned at any suitable point the desired distance from the power. Fixed tothe end of the shaft '23 is a pulley wheel 30 which maybe driven by any suitable power plant, such as a gas, oil or'steam engine or an electric motor. Obviously the shaft 23 may be extended to any desired length so that the power plant for driving the shaft 23 may be conveniently located, it being entirely possible that one or more separate bearing supports for the shaft be provided when the length of the shaft 23 is extended to any large degree;

In assembling the power the eccentrics 13, together with the hub 14, are assembled as one unit. The casing 20 is assembled with the worm 22 and the shaft 23. These parts are then placed as shown in Fig. 4 with the hub land eccentrics 13 and the worm wheel 18 rigidly connected to the hub 14, thus tying together the worm wheel 18, hub 14 and eccentrics 13 so as to permit them to freely revolve about the shaft 12, the bottom eccentric or other member resting upon the base 10. Thereafter the support 29 with the bearing for the end of the shaft23 is arranged at a suitable point with the reinforcing member 26 in place. Obviously the position of'the support 29 will be adjacent the power plant to be employed whereupon connection between the power plant and the pulley 30 may be provided.

Obviously when power is applied to the pulley 30 for rotating the same, the shaft 23 and consequently the worm 22 will also be rotated which in turn will rotate the worm wheel 18, which by reason of its connection with the hub 1e and eccentrics 13 will cause these members to be in a like manner rotated. Consequently a reciprocating motion is imparted to the eccentric rings and also to the power transmitting rods connected thereto.

Lubricant in large quantities may be conveniently contained within the casing or housing 20, thus eliiciently lubricating the wheel 18 and the worm 22. Consequently the necessity for constant attention to the power is eliminated, and even though it is found necessary, owing to the undulating topography to arrange the power on an incline, still such a mounting for the device will not interfere with its efficient lubrication nor with the efiiciency of its operation, owing to the positive driving connection afforded by the worm and worm wheel gear ing. Obviously the supporting and reinforcing member 26, which is adapted to be arranged adjacent to and in parallel relation with the power shaft 23 will afford sufficient rigidity between the power and the supporting means 29 for the other end of the shaft to prevent any disalignment of this shaft and will consequently maintain the shaft in a proper spaced angular relation with reference to the power so as to insure its efficientoperation under practically all conditions.

It will be likewise obvious that, while I have illustrated an embodiment of the invention wherein the worm gearing is ar ranged at the top of the power and wherein only two eccentrics are shown, without in any manner departing from the spirit and scope of the invention I will be able to alter the arrangement to the extent of positioning the eccentrics either above the worm gearing or of arranging the worm gearing between the eccentrics and also of multiplying the number of eccentrics employed. Furthermore, while I have found it expedient to employ an I-beam as the reinforcing and supporting member 26, still other types of beams may be employed, and in a like manner the supporting means for the end of the shaft and for the bearing may likewise be altered as conditions or manufacturing requirements dictate.

In any event it will be apparent that a power is provided which is relatively compact, thus enabling the same to be conveniently transported and housed, and ofiering the further possibility of insuring eflicient operationunder practically all conditions. The repair and renewal of worn or broken parts is facilitated and the minimizing of the number of parts offers the further possibility of repairing the same in the field without requiring the services of a skilled mechanic.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim is 1. In a power-transmitting apparatus of the class described, a plurality of eccentrics, a worm Wheel fixed to said eccentrics for rotation therewith, a housing enclosing said worm Wheel, a shaft provided with a worm meshing with said worm wheel, a support .for the extended free end of said shaft. and a reinforcing member connected to said housing and to said support and extending adjacent to and substantially parallel with said shaft.

2. In a power-transmitting apparatus of the class described, a plurality of eccentrics, a worm wheel rigidly connected to said eccentrics for rotation therewith, a casing for said worm wheel, a shaft provided with a worm meshing with said worm wheel, bearings for said shaft formed on said casing, a support for the free end of said shaft, a bearing for said shaft on said support and a reinforcing member connected to said housing and to said support and extending substantially parallel to said shaft.

3. In a power-transmitting apparatus of the class described, a plurality of eccentrics, a worm wheel rigidly connected to said eccentrics for rotation therewith, a casing for said worm wheel, a shaft provided with a worm meshing with said Worm Wheel, bearings for one end of said shaft formed on said casing, a support for the free extended end of said shaft, a bearing for said shaft on saidsupport, and a reinforcing I- beam member connected to said housing and to said support.

In a power-transmitting apparatus of the class described, a plurality of rotatable eccentrics, a hub rigidly connected to said eccentrics for rotation therewith, a worm wheel connected to said hub, a lubricant-receiving casing enclosing said worm wheel, a

horizontally extending shaft arranged adjacent said housing a support for the end of said shaft, bearings for said shaft formed on said housing and support, a worm fixed to said shaft and meshing with said worm wheel, and a driving pulley fixed to said shaft and a reinforcing member in the form of an I-beam extending from said housing to said support.

The foregoing specification signed at Oil City, Pa, this 20th day of August, 1923.

JOHN REID. 

